A Time After
by Shol.Rebecca
Summary: What exactly happened in the time between the Battle for Hogwarts and the Epilogue? How did Ron and Hermione deal with life without school, their lost loved ones, and each other. Read and find out
1. The Dreams

***AN This is an idea I've been sitting on for awhile. Its a bit of a chronicle of the important moments in Ron and Hermione's lives between DH and the epilogue. The time line is a bit wonky but there really aren't many specifications. As always, I own nothing, well other than the laptop I'm writing on. Enjoy.**

Hermione awoke with a start. She was lying alone under the covers once again. The bedding was rumpled on the other side with the sheets pulled back. Ron must have gotten up recently, and when Hermione placed her hand on his side of the bed it was still warm. She lay back against her pillow, damp, with sweat from her nightmare. She had been back at the castle in the room of requirement and the flames of the fiendfyre had swallowed her whole burning her flesh and try as she might she had not been able to escape. Trying the shake off the dream she climbed out of the bed and went looking for Ron.

She walked around the small muggle flat that they shared. After the war Ron couldn't go back to the burrow, they had stayed there only a few weeks and every night he had woken screaming out for his brother. She had not known what to do, he would wake so distraught and the only thing she could think was to hold him. They would sit together in silence as Ron's heaving shoulders slowed. Hermione knew then that they needed to get away. Ron had taken some convincing to move into the Muggle home and even longer to get used to all the appliances and other muggle items that came with it. The move had taken place a few months ago and they were finally starting to settle into a rhythm living together.

Hermione walked down the hall toward the kitchen and looked around. Ron wasn't in the room but she could see that he'd already had some toast as his plate sat on the counter covered in crumbs right next to the sink. Hermione rolled her eyes and walked back to the bedroom. Of course he hadn't cleaned the dish. Ron was still getting used to not having house elves or his mother picking up after him. Turning she walked back to the bedroom where the shower had started.

She peeked in the doorway to see Ron leaning up against the wall. As she walked through the doorway he sank to the floor with his head on his knees, his shoulders shook and Hermione knew he was crying again. She quickly walked over to where he sat and gingerly reached out her fingers and ran them through his hair. Startled he looked up, his eyes were rimmed red and the sight broke Hermione's heart. She loved this poor broken boy and couldn't stand to see him hurt.

Ron opened his mouth, "I turned on the water so you wouldn't hear…" his voice quavered with each word. Hermione felt the tears welling up in the corners of her eyes, one slipping and falling down her face. Within a moment Ron had swept her into his lap on the floor and was wiping the tear from her cheek. "Oh, Ron. I'm so sorry I just wish that I knew some…" before she was able to finish Ron had pressed his lips to hers stifling her words. She felt the tension from her dreams leave her body as she laced her hands in Ron's hair. This was the place where all the trouble of life melted away, locked in his arms.

Hermione whimpered as Ron broke away and set her back on the floor. He looked nervous as he spoke.

"Erm… look Hermione there's something I need to ask you. You know I'm not very good at words. I love you more than anything in the world and I would be lost without you. Ugh, this is sounding terrible. Hermione I never want to spend another day without you. Hermione will you marry me?" and with that he clumsily pulled a small velvet box out of his jeans pocket and opened it facing her.

Before she had even looked at the ring Hermione had thrown her arms around Ron's shoulders and had locked her lips back on his. Tears ran don her face as she pulled away from Ron, and he stared shocked and bewildered. "Hermione, what's wrong? I shouldn't have asked, I'm sorry. Forget I said anything" Hermione covered his mouth with her hand, and he looked into her eyes.

"Of course I will, you bloody idiot. Of course I will marry you"

***an please review!**


	2. Rings and Sick Days

**AN* Sorry it has taken so long to update but I have been fighting what I actually wanted to do next, this chapter is a bit of a filler but I am steadily working on the Wedding. Please Review! Enjoy.**

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Ron rolled over in the bed and stared into Hermione's sleeping face. He smiled as he watched her eyelids flicker in her sleep, she must be dreaming. Her hand was resting just under her nose and Ron looked down at the ring. It was refined and elegant, just like her. Goblin silver and diamond braided neatly together, Ron was quite proud that he had been able to pick it out on his own, though it had cost just about everything that he had saved after school.

He had gone into Diagon Alley one afternoon after work planning to pick up some floo powder for his mum when he had decided to poke around the shops. During all his time at Hogwarts he had never really been able to explore the whole street, nor had he had any desire to with all the buzz around and people milling about everywhere. He had decided to stop in and visit George for a bit at the shop when he had noticed the small jewelers two doors down. There had been many shops that had sprung up after the war and this appeared to be one of them. He walked in to have a look around when he noticed a display box with the ring. It was a woven band of goblin silver interlaced with small sparkling diamonds. It shone just as Hermione's eyes had when they had first kissed, and he knew it was perfect.

He lay in bed a bit longer and just watched as Hermione slept, not wanting to wake her. Just before her muggle alarm was set to go off he flicked the power switch and gently kissed her cheek. Her eyes fluttered open and locked on his. She smiled and kissed him lightly on the lips, lingering only a moment before she tried to get up out of the bed. Before she could move however, Ron rolled closer and pinned her in an embrace, crushing his lips to hers. Hermione struggled under his weight, wriggling to get free. "Ronald Weasley! You know I have to go to work." She gasped. He looked at her with big puppy dog eyes. "Please don't go. I thought maybe we could stay here in bed all day." He leaned over and kissed her again and she sighed. " Well I suppose I could send an owl and take a day of sick leave, but they won't like it with me already requesting the wedding and honeymoon off."

The wedding was only three months away, and they had planned on traveling to France for the honeymoon. Hermione lit up when she said the word wedding, like she always did. Ever since he had proposed their lives had seemed so much brighter. Neither of them had had any nightmares since. Ron was starting to think that life might just get back to normal.

Hermione stood up and walked to the kitchen, Ron following like a puppy behind her. As she wrote a letter and sent Pig to the Ministry he busied himself in the kitchen making breakfast. Since they had begun living together Ron had found he was actually not bad at cooking and they both knew from their time searching for horcruxes that Hermione wasn't.

Hermione turned from the window that Pig had just flown through as Ron set the plates on the table. Ron had begun to settle into a few muggle habits and had actually learned to cook instead of relying on his wand. The eggs and hash he had prepared were perfectly cooked and smelled heavenly. He stood at the sink rinsing out the pan. "Ron you know that you could just use Scourgify." Ron turned and looked at Hermione puzzled. "What? Oh right, well, I guess it's too late now. Are you finished?" She nodded and he took her plate and began to wash it under the warm stream of water.

"Well, what would you like to do today, now that I've missed work?" Ron turned off the water and walked to the far side of the counter and sat down next to Hermione. He leaned in and kissed her gently, as she leaned in to deepen the kiss he pulled away. "I thought we might stay in." he smirked and grabbed her hand leading her back to the bedroom. "Well I like where this is going Mr. Weasley." He sat on the bed smirking and pulled Hermione's arm and she turned into his lap. She giggled and gave him a peck on the lips. "I love you more than life, you know that don't you?" Ron stared into her eyes and her heart swelled, he needed so much reassurance but she knew she had loved him for almost as long as she could remember.

"Oh Ronald. When will you ever believe me when I tell you that I love you?" She put her hands on each of his cheeks and gave him a loving kiss. "Probably as soon as you say I do" he looked up at her and she smiled and sighed.


	3. Preparations

**AN* I hope that you guys will enjoy this one. I am trying to be more descriptive, let me know what you think. I am merely a slave to the literary prowess of JK Rowling.**

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Hermione glanced out the window of Ginny's small room. All the men were in the garden tossing the gnomes over the fence. She watched as the small creature went soaring into the field past the garden and smiled as Ron got a rough pat on the back from George as his gnome few far beyond the others. She watched a while longer as they laughed, she didn't know how they could be to carefree when she had a thousand butterflies tumbling around in her stomach. It wasn't that she was really that nervous but she was afraid that everything that she wanted was happening. She had know that she was in love with Ron beginning in their sixth year, she had been so irrationally jealous of Lavender and absolutely heartbroken that she hadn't even been able to be in the same room with Ron without nearly breaking into tears. But when he had been poisoned and lay in his bed in the infirmary and said her name she had know that on some level he loved her too, though it had taken him a while to realize it himself.

All that didn't matter now because in only a few hours they would be together, bound by more than just friendship. There was a soft click as the door opened and Ginny walked into the room. "You know you probably shouldn't stand so close to the window. Ron might see you." Hermione turned and smiled "He just can't see me in my dress, and I don't have that on yet, so I think I'm good." Ginny smiled back ad pulled the chair away from the dressing table. Both were cream and contrasted nicely with the pale blue walls, the room was bright and airy resembling the sky. Hermione walked to the table and sat facing the mirror. She leaned against the back of the chair and closed her eyes, as her friend became to work her bushy mane of hair into an elegant braid down her back. The girls had decided to model the style after the ring and they had incorporated it throughout the decorations for the ceremony.

The wedding was set to take place next to the garden, which was overgrown with pale wildflowers. It was much like Bill and Fleur's in appearance. There was the tent with flowing layers of pale blue draperies braided from each trellis and adorned with the same pastel wildflowers. Rows of light colored chairs lined the aisle and at the end sat a platform where they would stand for the vows. Hermione sat and imagined just how it would feel as she walked down the aisle. She pictured the look on Ron's face and her fathers touch as he walked her slowly toward the podium. She could imagine the tears at the corners of both her mothers and Mrs. Weasley's eyes as she reached out and took Ron's outstretched hand.

At the sound of the door opening Hermione's eyes flew open. She had been sitting and daydreaming long enough for Ginny to finish her hair. Both girls looked up to the door as Fleur walked in and took a seat on the bed. She was carrying a small bag. "May I 'elp you wiz your make up?" she asked to which both girls firmly nodded. Hermione sat back again and closed her eyes as she let Fleur apply the light makeup to her face. "Are you excited? I remember zat I was very impatient on my wedding day" Hermione lifted the corner of her lips in a light smile and nodded in agreement. "I just want it to be over so that I can just be married." Fleur smiled and announced that she was finished. Hermione turned back to the mirror and gasped. She felt stunning, the light application had only enhanced her soft features and the attention was immediately drawn to her eyes with seemed to glow in anticipation. She turned to the two girls who were now standing behind her and hugged them both. " I don't know how to thank you enough," she mumbled into their combined shoulders. The three sat back down and Fleur opened the small bag once again. From it she pulled a small set of glittering earrings. They were small delicate loops that glistened with diamonds. "Zey are something borrowed, I wore zem on my wedding day too." Hermione took the small jewelry into her hand and careful put them on. They matched perfectly with the detail Hermione had chosen for her dress.

The dress was hanging in the small closet that Hermione had turned and glanced at. It was still wrapped in its garment bag to keep it from getting dirty, though Hermione could have easily cleaned it with a spell the woman in the muggle shop had insisted and Hermione hadn't seen cause to argue. She had gone shopping with her mother, which was a rare occasion, only a few weeks after they had announced the engagement. Her mother hadn't been able to help in much of the planning of the wedding and Hermione had been thrilled to spend some extra time with her. They had travelled all around muggle London for bridal shops in the end they had managed to only need to visit three before finding the dress. It had been in a small shop with dark purple curtains framing the window. They had passed by it not thinking it was anything when her mother turned and walked in. The dress was hanging on a rack by its self near the back of the shop and had caught Hermione's eye by a small glitter in the light. Nestled in the back of the overcrowded shop it had hung on a rack of cream-colored dresses, brilliant white against the rest. It had a glowing quality that none of the other dresses she had tried possessed. The moment she had pulled it on she knew that she didn't need to look any further. She stepped out of the tiny dressing room and her mother eyes lit up. A smile spread across her face at her mothers gaze. Her mother turned to the saleswoman and said, "we'll take it," before Hermione knew it they were home for tea.

She now sat in her chair gazing at the garment bag imagining what she remembered her dress to look like. The delicate line of lace that make up the tight wrist length sleeves, the intricate embroidery along the sweetheart neckline that trailed its way down along her hips. She turned away from the closet to find both of the young women staring at her. Ginny let out a small chuckle, "I suppose you'd like to put it on now then?" Hermione nodded. She stepped out of her pale blue silk robe and stepped into the dress that the others were holding for her. Slipping her arms in she turned so that Fleur could lace up the back. When she had finished she turned Hermione so that she could look in the worn out mirror that had no doubt once belonged to Mrs. Weasley. Upon catching her own gaze Hermione sighed, she had forgotten how stunning the dress truly was. It glittered in the soft light of the sun filtering through the windowpanes. The dress is self, hung beautifully on her thin frame hugging her ribs and hips and flowing gracefully in a full skirt to the floor just above the ground so that there was no chance she might trip on the edge.

All three of the girls turned as they heard a knock on the door. Mrs. Weasley poked her head in through the crack in the door and gasped. "Hermione darling, you look so beautiful. I can't believe that you are finally becoming an official part of the family. Ron really couldn't have picked anyone more perfect." She crossed the room and pulled her into a signature bone crushing embrace with tears welling up in the corners of her eyes. Upon pulling away she said, "Your parents have just arrived, we are ready to start" Hermione and the rest of the procession headed down the stairs and waited their turn to walk down the aisle.


End file.
